Grain-drill



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheen 1.

A. su M. RUNSTETLBR. GRAIN DRILL.`

N0."285,363. Patented Sept.f18, 1883.

3 Sheets- Sheen 2.

(No Model.)

A. 8v M. RUNSTBTLBR.

GRAIN DRILL.

Patented sept. 18,188.3.

belly '(N Model.) s sheets-sheet 3. A. &: M. R-UNSTETLER.

GRAIN DRILL. NO. 285,363. Patented Sept. 18, 188.3.

N. PETERS, Phowunmmpw. wmhgm. nc

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEICEO ANDREW RUNSTETLER vANDA MICHAEL RUN STETLER, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGN ORS TO THE FARMERS FRIEND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, -OF

,SAME PLAGE.

-GRAIN- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,363, dated September 18, 1883.

' Application inea May 2o, 188s. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW RUNsTET- LER and MICHAEL 'RUNsTETLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Drills, of which the following Vis a speciiication.

Our invention relates to grain-drills, and 1o may :be applied to seeding-machines of any class in which hoes are employed for conducting the grain to the earth, as well as to cultivators for covering the grain with soil where sown broadcast. It is the object of our invention to provide simple and effective mechanism for shifting the hoes or drill-boots froma single into a double rank, or vice versa, and automatically locking them in either position, or, if desired, 2o reciprocating the hoes continuously; secondly, to provide mechanism whereby the hoes or boots may be raised from or lowered to the ground, and securely locked in either position without regard to their arrangement in a sin- 2 5 gle or double rank; thirdly, to provide a seat for grain-drills which may be longitudinally adjusted upon the frame or wholly removed therefrom, having a foot-rest for the driver, which forms part of the attaching and adjusting devices.

To these several ends our invention consists, for the first part, in a series'A of hoes or drillboots attached to a correspondingseries of drag-bars, the latter being conn cted alternately to one or the other of tu?? transverse rock-bars having segment-gears at their eX- tremities meshing together, a connecting-rod pivoted to an arm on one off/"said rock-bars, and driven bya pinion which is normally held 4o out of engagement with an actuating-gear upon the aXle,\a notched or slotted ange or bearing-cylinder upon said pinion, riding upon a Vtoothed support rigidly mounted upon the frame, and a'spring-actuated lever, in one eX- tremity of whichm the pinion is journaled, whereby the pinion is raised to hiesh with the actuating-gear, the locking-tooth is withdrawn from the slotted flange, and the latter caused to ride upon the toothed support until the shifting of the hoes is completed, when a sec- 5o ond notch in vthe flange engages with the toothed support, being automatically thrown into f locking-engagement therewith, and the pinion at the same time withdrawn from its actuating-gear by the spring-actuated lever.

Our invention consists, for the second part, in a series of hoes or drill-boots attached to a corresponding series of drag-bars having their ends pivoted alternately to one and the other of two rock-bars, whereby they maybe thrown 6o from a single into a double rank, a correspond! ing series of connecting-links pivoted at one end to arms carried by a rock-shaft journaled in the frame of the drill or cultivator, and a pinion'journaled in one end of a lever, said 65 pinion having a flange or cylindrical bearing provided with a double notch or slot, a rigid support having a detent engaging with either of said notches, and a connecting-rod, one end l of which engages with a crank-pin upon the 7o pinion and the other with an arm upon the rock-shaft, whereby upon actuating the lever the detent is released from the pinion, the latter is caused to mesh with a gear upon the axle, the rock-shaft is turned, and the hoes raised or lowered, the bearing-flange upon the pinion riding upon the detent until the movement is completed in either direction, at which instant the slot automatically engages with said detent, and the pinion is withdrawn by 8o gravity from the gear, thereby locking the parts in the position to which they have been moved.

Our invention consists, for the third part, in a drivers seat mounted upon a single rigid 8 5 support having adjustment longitudinally between parallel supports upon tlie drill-frame, and a clampingscrew and bolt for locking the seat-support in place thereon.

Our invention consists, for the fourth part, 9o in the several novel-features of construction, and the combinations and sub-combinations of parts, hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this application, Figure l is a plan view of a grain-drill embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken in the plane 2 2,

I site plane faces.

.2 asista Fig. l, the line of sight being indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken in the plane 3 3, the line of sight being indicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the actuating-gear upon the axle, the pinion j ournaled in a spring-lever, with its notched flange, and the rigid support with its locking detent, together with the bearings by which said devices are supported, the parts being separated for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4 assembled together. Fig. 6 is a central transverse section of the pinion shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of the seat-supportin g bar with its locking and adjusting devices, one of which forms the foot-rest for the driver. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of one of the connecting-links in engagement with its drag-bar.

A in said drawings indicates the frame in which the operative parts are supported, said frame being of rectangular form, braced inthe usual manner, and carried by a single pair of wheels connected by an aXle, B, one of said wheels being rigid with and the other loose upon the said axle. At suitable intervals upon the latter are rigidly mounted two gears, B and B2, one actuating the mechanism by which the hoes are shifted from a single to a double rank, and the other operating the devices by which the whole series of hoes is raised from the earth or dropped.

The drill-boots or hoes C, which are of the usual form, are each rigidly attached to one extremity of a drag-bar, D, having its other end pivotally connected to one or the other of the two rock-bars E E', which are journaled in bearings c e upon the side bars of the frame l A, the arrangement beingV such that each alternate drag-bar throughout the whole series is connected with the rock -bar E and the remainder with the rock-bar E'. These bars which extend from one side bar of the frame to the other, are each provided with 'a segmental gear, e', mounted upon each end and meshing together, so that if either one is rocked in its bearings the other will by means of said gears have a corresponding movement in the opposite direction. Each bar E and E' is of quadrantal shape in` cross-section, and they have 'their peripheral surfaces placed in juxtaposition, the drag-bars D being pivotedl in inountings d, secured to the outer and oppo- An arm, F, is inounted-upon the rock-bar E, to which is pivoted a connecting-rod, G, by the reciprocation of which the rock-bars are oscillated. The. operation of the parts described is produced by the following mechanism:

At the rear of the frame A is a transverse bar, A', upon which, and within convenient reach of the driver, is mounted a lever, H,

which, as shown, may approximate the form fof a bell-crank, although other forms may answer the purpose. This lever H is pivoted within a bearing, 7L, having an angle-plate, h' 7L", which embraces two sides of the bar A', with perforations to receive attaching-lugs 7L h, between which said lever His pivoted. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) A leaf-spring, c, (see Fig. 2,) is attached to the bar A', and engages with the horizontal arm of the lever, which is normally thrown down by the action of said spring. Upon the other side of the pivotal point the leverH is curved upward, and its extremity is provided with a foot-treadle, h, which may be depressed by the foot of the operator. At the end ofthe horizontal arm of said lever is journaled a pinion, I, having a crank-pin, fi, to which is connected the end ofthe rod G. rPhe arrangement of the parts is such that this pinion I is in the same vertical plane with one ofthe gears,B', mounted upon the aXle B, with which it may be caused to mesh by simply pressing upon the treadle if, whereby the pinion will be raised until its teeth engage those of the gear B', when the pinion will be rotated, the

connecting-rod G will be reciprocated, and the' rock-bars E and E' will be oscillated in opposite directions, thereby imparting to the hoes, through the medium of the drag-bars D, a reciprocating motion in the line of the drills, each alternate hoe moving in the same direction and opposite to the movement of the adjacent hoes. This reciprocation will continue as long as the pinion I is held in engagement with the gear B' on the axle, and the hoes will be thrown into rank and out of rank repeatedly as long as continuous pressure is exerted upon the treadle hf. Vhen it is desired, however, to shift the hoes from a single into a double rank and lock them temporarily in that position, or vice versa, we employ, in combination with the mechanism described, the following devices:

Upon the face of the pinion I is formed a horizontal flange, i', having notches or slots @Il and t cut therein at opposite points. Upon the transverse bar A'is rigidly mounted a supporting-arm, K, having its end projected under the iiange i', with a detent, k, formed upon the upper side of the arm, and of such size that it will readily engage with either of the notches i2 i" when the latter are brought by the revolution of the pinion I to register with the detent. The lever H being normally thrown downward by the action of the spring c, it will be seen that when the detent has engaged with either slot in the flange fi' it will remain therein, securely locking the pinionl I against revolution until by operating the lever H the notched iiange is raised from the detent and the pinion meshed with its actuating-gear. By locking the pinion in this manner the roek-barsE and E' will also be locked through the medium of the connecting-rod G, and the hoes therefore will be permanently held either ina single or a double rank, the-arrangement depending upon which notch i' or i the detent k engages with. Instead of the rockbars geared together, as described, a single shifting-bar may be used, having each alternate drag-bar attached to it, and the others to a stationary bar,inthe usual manner, the same IOO IIO

mechanism herein described being used for operating the shifter. When ,the lever His actuated in the manner already described, the pinion I, being thrown upward, makes an operative engagement with the axle-gear B at the moment when the slotted flange clears the detent k. If, now, the foot is removed from the treadle h4, the flange t" will rest upon and ride over the detent until the pinion has made one-half of a revolution, when the second notch, Z3, having reached the lookingtooth, will be thrown into engagement therewith by means of the spring-'actuated lever H. The rock-bars E E being, aswell as their gears, of quadrantal shape,or toothed through an are of ninety degrees, it will be seen that a single half-revolution of the pinion I will throw the hoes from a single into a double rank, or vice versa, while at the same moment that the change is effected the spring-lever H, carrying the pinion, effects the engagement of the slotted ange with the detent, automatically locking the hoes iii' the arrangement which y has been made by the half-revolution of the pinion I. f The instant the latter meshes with the axle-gear the foot-may be removed from the treadle h4, the -change in rank and the locking of the hoes in position being accomplished by the automatic mechanism described.l Whenthe drill is in operation, a single touch of the foot upon the treadle will be sufficient. In Fig. 3 of the drawings the parts are shown in the act of throwing the hoes from a single into a double rank, the iiange t" riding upon the detent 7c, the notch Zfbeing upon the point of engaging with said detent.

For the purpose Vof raising the hoes from the ground and locking them `temporarily in that position, we have devised a simple and effective mechanism, which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Above and somewhat in front of the axle B is placed a transverse rock-bar, L, journaled in bearings in the side bars of the frame A. At intervals upon said bar are rigidly `mounted arms Z. Directly,

over each drag-bar D, and between the forked extremities of each arm, is pivoted a drop-link, M. i (Shown in detail in Fig. 8.) `The lower part of each link is slotted longitudinally at my, and through the slot -a drag bar D is passed, a spiral spring, m, encircling the link a-nd resting upon the upper edge of the bar, vthe tension of said spring being preserved by a collar, m2, against which its end abuis. These springs serve to-press the drag-bars down, in

` which projects from the outer face of a pinion, l?, whichis journaled in the end of a lever, R, pivoted in bearings hs la, similar to those 'carrying the lever Hupon the transverse bar A. r)The pinion P and the axle-gear B are so arranged that upon the former being raised the two will mesh, causing the pitman to revolve, and through the medium of the connecting-bar N throwing the arm Z up or drawing it downward, according to the position of the crank-pin p at the moment the pinion engages with the axle-gear. The rocking of the shaft L sweeps the arms Z through a sufficient arc to raise or lower the hoes to the required point. In order to `lock the hoes in either position, we employ mechanism similar to that alreadydescribed in connection with the shifting device. Upon the inner face ofthe pitman P is formed a flange, f, having opposite notches, f fi, which engage with a tooth, s, formed upon a rigid support, S, mounted on the bar A and extending beneath the pinion. The lever R is in all essentialrespects a duplicate of the lever H,with the exception of the omission of the spring, the gravity ofthe hoes being sufiicient to unmesh the pinion and axle-gear and effect the locking of the former, and it is operated in a similar manner. Upon depressing the treadle 12 the pinion P is raised, clearing its notched flange from the -detent s and causing it to mesh with the axle-gear B2. The iiangef, riding upon the detent during a halfrevolution, engages therewith the moment the movement iscompleted.l and the pinion having in the meantime thrown the arm Z up into the position shown in Fig. 3, the hoes are drawn up by the drop-links M- and are locked in that position, the locking and the disengagement of the gear and pinion being automatically effected in the manner described, which is substantially similar to that embodied in the shifting apparatus.

It will be noticed that the mechanism for raising and lowering the hoes is wholly independent of the shifting devices, and either one may be operated without regard to the other; or both might be operated simultaneouslyv should occasion arise; or the two movements may be simultaneous in part only.

As alreadyv mentioned, we depend upon gravity to throw down the lever R, which carries the pinion by which the raising and lowering of the hoes is effected. It will be seen by examining Fig. Sthat the weight of the'hoes which is sustained by the several drop-links M is in a great measure thrown upon the connecting-rod N, and when the pinion Phas revolved through a half-revolution the gravity of the hoes will throw the notched flange into engagement with the detent s, thereby locking the hoes, and at the same moment unmeshing the pinion and its axle-gear.

It should also be mentioned that, if desired, the lever H may be weighted sufficiently to insure its automatic action, thereby enabling us to dispense with the spring.

Iwo or more perforations, m, may be formed in the ends of the drop-linksM, whereby the hoes may be adjusted and the depth of the IOO IIO

drills controlled. It should be noted also that although we have shown the levers H and l? v so constructed as to be operated by the foot,

we do not confine ourselves to that form, since either one, or even both, may be constructed in the form of a hand-lever, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

For the purpose of eeonomizing material and labor, greatly simplifying the construetion, and imparting increased strength and efficiency to this apparatus, we apply the mountings carried bythe beam A in the manner following: Upon each of the levers H and P is formed a boss, n, through which the pivot-bolt n passes. Each lever is mounted between drop bearings or lugs h3 h3, which depend from an angle-plate, h h2, the horizontal portion h2 of said plate being the longer and having end perforations for the attachingscrews. The supporting-arm K is provided with a vertical plate, c2, having a horizontal plate, a3, forming an angle with it corresponding with the angle between the drop-lug h3 and the horizontal plate h2. Perforations l 2 are formed in said plates, the former registering with the openings u for the pivot-bolt, and the latter with` the end perforation in the plate h2. The support K being so placed that its plates a2 and a3 lie in the angle between the lug h3 and the plate h2, the pivotbolt n is inserted and its nut turned on, as shown in Fig. 5. Screws are then passed through the end perforations of plate h2, one of said screws having also engagement with the plate c3 through the opening 2. It will thus be seen that we are enabledto attach all these several parts with the same number of fastenings used for mounting the lever H only, while at the same time the strength, simplicity, and eompaetness of the arrangement render it highly advantageous. a

It will be noticed that in Fig. 4 a vertical offset or shoulder, at, is formed upon the arm K, which rests against the front edge of the drop-bearing h3, giving an extremely strong support to said arm and taking a considerable portion of the strain or side-thrust off the end of the lever pivot n.

The drivers seat is mounted upon two central longitudinal and parallel supports, T T, resting upon the cross-beam A and stepped under the brace Bt. The seat V is carried upon the end of an oblique rigid bar, V', which is rendered adjustable longitudinally between said supports, or removable therefrom, by the means shown in Fig. 7. Upon the sides of the bar V, near its lower end, and at a suitable angle with the axis of said bar, are formed slots c t, within which the inner faces of the supports T T lit. A strong metal plate, A2, having its upper face in the same plane with the lower faces of the slots o o, is secured to the front of the bar, and a similar plate, A5, having its lower face in the plane of the upper edges of the slots, is fastened to the back of the seat-bar. Each plate is extended laterally, so as to have bearing upon the lower and upper faces, respectively, of the supports T, as shown in Fig. 2. To the forward plate is centrally attached a stud or bolt, b2, having a threaded end, over which is itted a metal strip, C2, angled at o o to iit over the supports upon which it is placed, and having lateral extensions D2, which serve as footrests for the driver.

The parts described being placed in position, as shown in Fig. 2, the seat may be adjusted toward and from the front, moving between the supports T T, and being securely locked in any desired position by turning the thumb-nut t down upon the threaded end of the bolt b2 and against the metal strip C2. By simply loosening the nut the seat may be adjusted or wholly removed from its supports, if desired, by drawing it out from between the ends of the supports. This adjustment of the seat is desirable, especially when foot-levers are used to actuate the shifting and raising mechanism, since for drivers of. different heights the seat should be placed within the most convenient reach of the treadle ends h of thefoot-levers. Instead of using two parallel supports T T, as shown, a single strip or beam may be employed, having its rear end slotted to receive and permit the adjustment of the seat.

Central support is given to the axle B by means of half-bearings D", secured to the lower faces of the seat-supports T T, as seen in 2. The axle being long and slender, it may be desirable to give it one intermediate support to prevent it from being sprung should the great weight or pressure be accidentally exerted upon the foot-levers. This will also prevent the springing of the seat-supports T, which lie directly above the axle, should the latter be sprung accidentally upward.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim isl. In a grain-drill, the combination, with the shifting bar or bars, of a rod connecting said bar or bars with a crank-pin upon a pinion, said pinion being mounted upon a lever, by which it is held out of engagement with the axle-gear, and having a peripheral iiange provided with notches which engage with a locking-detent upon a rigid support for said pinion, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a gear rigid upon the axle, of a lever carrying a pinion having a notched iiange and a rigid support beneath said flange, provided with a locking-detent, upon which the notched liange rides when meshed with the axle-gear, and with which it automatically engages when the notch reaches the detent, thereby unmeshing the pinion and gear, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a series .of hoes attached to drag-bars, of a corresponding series of drop-links or their equivalents pivoted to a rock-shaft journaled in the frame, a rod connecting an arm upon said shaft with a crank-pin upon a pinion mounted upon a lever, by which itis held out of engagement- IOO IIO

with the axle-gear, and a rigid support bel neath said pinion, having a locking-detent which engages with an oppositelyinotched iiange on said pinion, substantially as described. 4. The combination, with the pinion mounted uponalever, and having a peripheral ilange with opposite notches formed therein, of a rigid support mounted upon the drill-frame, said support being provided with a detent, substantially as described. y.

5. The combination, with two independent axle-gears, of two pinions, each mounted upon a pivoted lever and normally held out of mesh with said axle-gears, one of said pinions actuating the bar or bars to shift the hoes, and the other a rock-shaft to raise and lower them,

said mechanisms being wholly separate and capable of independent or of simultaneous operation, substantially as described.

, 6. The combination, with the rock-bars geared together and journaled in the drillframe, of drag-bars pivoted alternately to each of said hoes, a rodconnecting an arm upon one of said bars witha pinion, and a lever carrying said pinion and holding it normallyout of mesh with the axle-gear, substantially as described. y

7. A locking-pinion for shifting or raising the hoes of a grain-drill, said pinion being provided with a ange having notches at suitable intervals adapted to engage with a locking-detent mounted ,on the drill-frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a grain-drill, with the drag-bars and the rock shaft or shafts by which they are carried, of mechanism, substantially as described, intermediate between said rock-shaft and the revolving aXle, where- 4o by the hoes are shifted by the power of the team, and automatic locking `mechanism engaging'at intervals with the shifting devices and holding the hoes in or out 'of rank, substantially as described.

9. In a grain-drill, the combination, with the hoes and their drag-bars, of drop-links pivoted to arock-shaft, mechanism, substantially as described, connecting the rock-shaft with the revolving axle, and automatic lock- 5o ing devices engaging at intervals with said mechanism, whereby the hoes are raised by the power of the team and automatically locked in position, substantially as described.

l0. rIhe combination, in a grain-drill, with the drag-bars and the shifting bar or bars by 5 5 which they are carried, of mechanism for shifting the hoes into double or single rank or for reciprocating them continuously by the power of the team, and of mechanism for automatically locking them in or out of rank, substantially as described.

11. In a graindrill, the combination of the hoes and their drag-bars connected by chains or links to a rock-shaft, and mechanism connecting the rock-shaft with the revolving axle, whereby the hoes are raised by the power of the team and automatically locked in position, substantially as described.

12. 'Ihe combination, with the bar carrying the seat, and having laterally-extending plates 7o in rear and in front, which engage with the parallel seat-supports, of a central vertical bolt projecting between said supports, a perforated plate engaging with said bolt, and a thumb-nut engaging with the threaded end of the latter, substantially as described.'

13. A seat having adjustment between horizontal parallel supports, in combination with a locking-plate provided with lateral eXtensions adapted to serve as foot-rests for the 8o driver, substantially as described.

14. The combination, with the drop-bearings for the pivoted levers, of angle-plates partly embracing a cross-beam of the drill- `frame, and a rigid support having an angular attaching portion occupying the angle between one of the drop-bearings and its attachingplate, registering perforations being formed in each to receive the lever-pivot and attachingscrew, substantially as described.

15. The combination, with the parallel cenl-tral supporting-beams, of a seat carried by an inclined bar having supporting transverse plates attached to its lower end and resting upon the parallel beams, and adjustable thereon, with a clamping-bolt and nut carried by one of said transverse plates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing 10o witnesses.

. ANDREW RUNSTETLER. MICHAEL RUNSTETLER. W'itnesses:

. GEORGE O. WARRINGTON,

J. A. MARLAY. 

